Healthy Homes Assessment Waiohiki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Waiohiki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Waiohiki, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Waiohiki rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Waiohiki rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Waiohiki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiohiki

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Waiohiki

Waiohiki rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waiohiki

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Waiohiki

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waiohiki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiohiki

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Waiohiki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiohiki for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during a house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.